New Generations Conference

St. Mary Parish high school students promoted volunteerism in the community, improved traffic safety and enhanced educational methods to prepare students for colleges and careers at Thursday’s New Generations Conference.
The conference, held at the Bayou Vista Community Center, allowed students from the parish’s five public high schools the opportunity to present community improvement ideas to parish public officials.
The Morgan City Rotary Club event was started 16 years ago by Rotarian J.O. Melancon, a former St. Mary Parish School Board member.
The Morgan City High School team encouraged students to get out and volunteer in their communities to help improve those areas.
Team members argued that students who want to help their communities should connect with adults who have the knowledge and resources to affect improvements and change. However, opportunities for community involvement are not readily available for students, they said.
School clubs can offer lots of volunteers for community projects, the students said. School organizations can provide the labor while outside groups could give them the necessary supplies to carry out certain projects.
The team suggested pairing its student council and the City of Morgan City, the Morgan City High School Green Club and the Morgan City Garden Club, Key Club and St. Mary Outreach, Beta Club and Morgan City Rotary Club, and Junior ROTC and the Boy Scouts.
Students discussed ideas to refurbish Lawrence Park and improve landscaping in the city. Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said the city will work to give students the resources they need for community improvement projects.
The West St. Mary High School team presented its ideas to prepare leaders for tomorrow. Students promoted the school’s allied health care classes where students are introduced to first aid, CPR, and basic patient care. Students can become certified in first aid and CPR through the courses. Many students go on to enter fields such as nursing or radiology, according to the team’s presentation.
West St. Mary also offers career and technical training courses that include electrical wiring and small engine repair classes. The goal of these classes is to give students expanded skills to help prepare them to attend technical college and the job market, the students said.
St. Mary Parish Schools Superintendent Dr. Donald Aguillard said the state is recognizing that high school students need to be either college or career ready upon graduation. After students’ sophomore year, they are now expected to be either on the academic track or learn a skill that would lead to a high-paying job after high school, Aguillard said.
Welding is a career that St. Mary Parish is uniquely poised to be able to help students get jobs, Aguillard said. “We’re going to continue to build the welding program. Right now, we need students to help us decide what are one or two more careers where we can build programs,” he said.
Centerville High School students gave their plans to improve traffic safety by installing a crosswalk at the school and put up no parking signs during morning drop-off and afternoon pickup.
Franklin High School students laid out the benefits that USA Test Prep courses have given them in math and English, and suggested implementing them throughout the parish. Students said their scores have increased test scores in both subjects since they began using the program.
USA Test Prep offers courses in English, reading, math and science and ACT prep courses. Purchasing all the courses together cost almost $3,000, the students said.
Patterson High School students proposed putting a sidewalk within the city limits to the high school allowing students a safe place to walk to school. Students suggested extending the school zone on La. 182, which runs by Patterson High School, and lowering the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph.
St. Mary Parish Councilman Kevin Voisin said the parish council could pass a resolution to ask the state to study changing that speed limit and extending the school zone. Constructing the sidewalk would take a lot of funding and state grants could possibly be used to help build it, Voisin said.
St. Mary Parish President Paul Naquin said other communities have 35 mph speed limits in school zones on state highways so that could be done in the parish, he said.
Berwick High School students brought an idea to create a program called “Adopt a Grandfriend,” which would allow high schools to volunteer at area nursing homes. Participants in the program would visit a nursing home resident at least two times a month.
Students could learn responsibility and time management skills, and visit residents whose families may not see them often. Morgan City Health Care has already agreed to participate in the program, the students said.
Berwick Mayor Louis Ratcliff said visiting nursing home residents who may have never have a visitor is a great idea.
Patterson High School Junior Kristen Johnson, who was in her first year participating, said the event was interesting and informative to the community. She plans to return next year to address more community issues, Johnson said.